Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week, we explore how to design an outdoor bar that stands up to the elements and entertains guests.
Blame it on a lack of space or once-in-a-while use: The home bar is often relegated to the basement or a forgotten corner. But if you have the acreage to take it outside, the al fresco experience can become a complete outdoor destination.
Designing an inspired setup takes a little know-how, so we turned to the design pros for ideas you’ll instantly belly up to. Cheers to a summer of epic soirees.
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“Depending on where your bar is, water may be a concern. But there’s always the chance you might have a spill. Traditional tile or stone is a great material to handle the moisture of the outdoors, but even certain types of wood can be used outdoors. Concrete can also be a great option. But all of these materials still need protection outside, and a wide variety of stains and sealants are available. These can also provide many color and finish options. Just make sure they are safe to use if you plan to be using the bar for food prep.
“Bar seating is great for the bar itself. Just make sure the counter overhangs and leaves room for knees. Other than that, having open, casual seating around the bar provides for a variety of preferences as well as the opportunity for smaller, more intimate groups to form.
“I personally like to keep storage and shelving out of the way to avoid visual clutter. Depending on the ideas you have and how you want to integrate with the space, you may want to try to expose more of your wares. Integrating the shelving and storage with the bar and overall space are essential.”
— Matt Baran of Baran Studio Architecture in Oakland, California
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“An outdoor bar brings the entertaining to where people will naturally be in the summer—outside. Not having to go back and forth from the living room or kitchen to the garden or patio makes hosting less stressful and you can enjoy spending time with your guests more.
“The best area to put a bar is near a wall or a corner that won’t get in the way of people moving around. You don’t want people bumping into the bartender while they are handling liquids.”
— Mary Jo Major of Rise Interiors based in Washington, D.C.
“An outdoor bar makes outside entertaining easier; there is less to set up and a place for everything. It helps keep people outside and engaged together when they don’t have to go in and out of the house. The best bar location is far enough away from the house so that flow isn’t blocked—but not so far that it’s a hassle to restock.
“The most resilient countertop materials are man-made stones like Caesarstone or Silestone. However, we are now seeing slabs of terrazzo, which can also be an excellent choice to withstand the elements. Keep in mind, while metal is very resilient and can be lovely, it can get hot in a sunny location. People tend to like the look of wood, but I would only use Ipe or cedar, so it will withstand the elements like a deck.
“Storage with doors is best. It helps keep pollen, dust and fallen leaves off of your beverages and glasses. And having a drawer or two is helpful as well—just like you’d have inside.
“Seating should be flexible and easy to move. For parties, outdoor bars should be set up without stools to maximize the space; smaller gatherings are easier to accommodate seating. It’s also nice to have lounge seating nearby if you have the space.”
— Rachael H. Grochowski, founder and principal architect at RHG Architecture+Design in Montclair, New Jersey
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Plan for Wear and Tear
“Making sure the materials used will stand up to the environment is the most important design condition. Concrete, Dekton, or Neolith porcelain slabs will endure the elements. “We like to use outdoor rated cabinetry such as Brown Jordan for our bar spaces since they are sealed and don’t allow dust or insects to get into the boxes. This allows us to design outdoor glass storage without it getting dusty. Keep in mind, sunlight can foil your libations, so ensuring there is proper shade to cover the outdoor bar is critical as well.
“Use stools that are easy for people to move in and out from the bar space. If the stool is too heavy, it becomes cumbersome. However, if it is too light, it will blow around in a storm. Most groups tend to gather around the bar, which is why in addition to the stool seating at the bar itself, we design additional adjacent seating areas such as an outdoor dining room or lounge space.
“Since designing an outdoor bar is all about capturing the elements of nature, we like to adorn the area with live elements such as fresh herbs in adjacent planters or fragrant vines growing around the shade structure. Incorporating dramatic lighting is also key. Festoon lighting overhead, add landscape lighting to highlight feature plants and illuminate the bar with concealed linear lighting in shelves or overhangs to elevate the space.”
— Claire Ownby of Ownby Design in Scottsdale, Arizona
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